Prof. Fujiang Hou
768, JIAYUGUANXILU, LANZHOU, CHINA, 730020
e-mail address: cyhoufj@lzu.edu.cn
Text:
Xu, P. Grassland Investigation and Planning. Beijing, China: Chinese Agriculture Press. 2000.
Lists of other references:
Gansu Agriculture University. Grassland Investigation and Planning. Beijing, China: Chinese Agriculture Press. 1985.
Ren, J. Z. Research methods of pratacultural science. Beijing, China: Chinese Agriculture Press.1998.
Ren, J. Z. Grassland Agroecology. Beijing, China: Chinese Agriculture Press. 1998.
Xu, P. Grassland Investigation and Planning. Beijing, China: Chinese Agriculture Press. 2000.
Li, B. Ecology. Beijing, China: Chinese High Education Press. 2000.
Krebs, C. J. Ecology. Beijing, China：Chinese Science Press. 2003.
Heitschmidt Rk, Stuth JW. Grazing Management. Timber Press Inc.. Portland, Oregon, USA. 1991.
Hodgson J. Grazing Management: Science into Practice. New York: Longman Scientific & Technical. 1990.
Heath ME, Barnes RF, Metcalfe DS. Forages, the Science of Grassland Agriculture (4th ed.). Iowa State University Press. Ames, IA. 1985.
Grade Assignment:
Mid-term Examination: 20%
Experiment: 40%
Final Examination: 40%
Course hours:
36 (6 hours experiment included)
Course Credit:
2
Course Description:
This course deals with the basic principles and concepts of the grassland resources related topics. Current methodologies for estimation of grassland productivity, grassland classification, calculating productivity of livestock and forage nutritional values will be explored. Recent advances and trends in grassland resource investigation and planning will be discussed.
Course Objectives: Upon completion of this course, students should:
1) Understand basic principles and concepts of grassland resources investigation and planning, and related topics.
2) Be able to evaluate the grassland productivity by using the forage nutritional values and livestock productivity.
3) Effectively communicate scientific knowledge related to grassland resource.
COURSE OUTLINE
1. INTRODUCTION (2 class hours)
1.1 objectives of this course
1.2 basic definitions of this course
1.3 historical development of grassland resource research
2. GENETIC PRINCIPLE OF GRASSLAND (4 class hours)
2.1 main factors influencing grassland origin and development
2.2 biotic factors
2.3 abiotic factors
2.4 social factors
2.5 interfaces of grassland origin and development
3. GRASSLAND TYPES AND ITS CLASSIFICATION (3 class hours)
3.1 significance of grassland types and classification
3.2 definitions and principles of grassland classification
3.3 main grassland classification systems in the world
4. COMPREHENSIVE AND SEQUENTIAL CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM OF GRASSLAND (CSCSG) (3 class hours)
4.1 historical development of CSCSG
4.2 CSCSG’s classification system
4.3 CSCSG’s index chart and its significance
5. GRASSLAND RESOURCE AND ITS DISTRIBUTION (2 class hours)
5.1 basic attributes of grassland resource
5.2 principles of grassland resources management
5.3 grassland resources in the world and its distribution
5.4 grassland resources in China and its distribution
6. GRASSLAND RESOURCES ASSESSMENT (4 class hours)
6.1 four sections in grassland agroecosystem
6.2 assessments of system coupling and discordance
6.3 grassland health assessment
7. THE ON GROUND INVESTIGATION METHODS FOR GRASSLAND RESOURCE (3 class hours)
7.1 introduction of grassland resources investigation
7.2 preparation works and basic methods for the grassland resources investigation
7.3 examples for the grassland resources investigation
7.4 grassland resources map-making
8. REMOTE SENSING INVESTIGATION OF GRASSLAND RESOURCES (3 class hours)
8.1 theoretical basis of remote sensing technique relate to grassland
8.2 remote sensing photographs and its interpretation
8.3 application of remote sensing technique in grassland resource investigation
9. GRASSLAND RESOURCE REGIONALIATION (2 class hours)
9.1 objectives and significance
9.2 regionalization principles and index
9.3 grassland type regionalization in China
10. PLANNING, DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF GRASSLAND AGROECOSYSTEMS (2 class hours)
10.1 grazing fence and rational system
10.2 grassland protection shelterbelt network
10.3 irrigation channels and roads
11. GRASSLAND EXPERT SYSTEMS (2 class hours)
11.1 basic principles
11.2 examples
EXPERIMENT
1. Grassland plants investigation (2 class hours)
To study how to investigate grassland plant composition and community structure by using quadrat.
Experiment site: Cuiying Mt.
2. Assessment of forage palatability (2 class hours)
Assessing forage palatability in accordance with the responses of sheep on forages with different species, physiological periods and mixing methods.
Experiment site: Cuiying Mt.
Animal: sheep
3. Evaluating livestock intake mass and grassland stocking rate
To help students studying how to evaluate grazing livestock intake mass by means of the biomass changes between pre- and post- grazing. And calculate the right stocking rate of the grazing land according with the livestock body weight.
Experiment site: Cuiying Mt.
Animal: sheep
